[vcoheda]

i agree about the mapleshade line routers. i have the XLR model. it has made life so much easier. definitely one of the better audio purchases i have made. the woodwork is very nice looking as well.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Lloyd seems like a great guy, too. He was very quick and responsive to me questions and emails. I'll be ordering one once I make my TT purchase. They're good looking units, too. 
 
Quote:

i agree about the mapleshade line routers. i have the XLR model. it has made life so much easier. definitely one of the better audio purchases i have made. the woodwork is very nice looking as well.

 

[runeight]

Gents, a comment on the noise issue brought up earlier.
 
Lately a small number of LF owners (less than 10%) have emailed us with this issue. In most cases the problem is tubes. The JJs are variable in the manuf quality. Typically the noise appears many hours after we have burnt in the amp so we don't get to hear it. In fact, I listen to every amp before it goes out and I've never heard it on a brand new amp. But, it is clear that it is appearing in some amps, sometimes shortly after delivery sometimes many, many hours later.
 
So far, we have taken care of this for everyone who has reported the problem. At least we think we have until everyone reports back.
 
But, if any of you hear this odd and random noise thing, please contact me right away.
 
Thanks.

 

[MacedonianHero]

^^ Might explain why I've never heard the issue as I swapped out the JJs the second day my LF arrived.

 
In fact Jim McShane won't warranty the JJ 6922 for more than 14 days:
 
"Very Important! I can no longer offer my usual guarantee on JJ E88CC/6922 new production tubes. If you
purchase E88CC/6922 JJ tubes, I guarantee they have been tested as thoroughly as possible and they will
work properly out of the box. I cannot guarantee they won't become noisy or microphonic once installed.
JJ E88CC/6922 are guaranteed for 14 days from the date of purchase, and will only be shipped to US
addresses."
 
http://www.mcshanedesign.net/tubes.htm

 

[MorbidToaster]

I actually experienced it with JJs and my Tungsram Reds.
 
I'll be getting the fix from Alex soon and will report back when I do.

 

[dj nellie]

Thanks for telling us what you know about the problem, Alex, and for offering to help fix it.  Just to be clear, I understand that products of this sort are subject to a myriad of variables, and I didn't mean to imply that anything had been done wrong in terms of assembly or quality control.  Sometimes things just go wrong even when all the proper testing is done.  It's just good to be assured that Alex is on top of things, and willing to do whatever it takes to make his customers happy.
 
I owned my LF for about 3 weeks before I swapped the JJ tubes out (probably 250 hours of music playback), and never heard any noise.  I bought 2 Siemens tubes, and after a few days of running the tubes in, I heard the screeching noises I referred to earlier.  After swapping the 2 JJs back in, I didn't hear the noise, but I only kept them in for a few hours.  I put the Siemens back in, and didn't hear anything until recently (probably another 50 hours), and it was much more faint noise.  It's still only in the left channel, and it only seems to appear after at least 5-10 hours of playback.
 
I trust that the issue will be resolved--it's just a bit unnerving.  But it's good to see that Alex is responsive (even on a Saturday).  I'm looking forward to getting this issue fixed, since the amp otherwise provides me with mind-blowing, sublime, immersive music experiences.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Thanks for telling us what you know about the problem, Alex, and for offering to help fix it.  Just to be clear, I understand that products of this sort are subject to a myriad of variables, and I didn't mean to imply that anything had been done wrong in terms of assembly or quality control.  Sometimes things just go wrong even when all the proper testing is done.  It's just good to be assured that Alex is on top of things, and willing to do whatever it takes to make his customers happy.

I owned my LF for about 3 weeks before I swapped the JJ tubes out (probably 250 hours of music playback), and never heard any noise.  I bought 2 Siemens tubes, and after a few days of running the tubes in, I heard the screeching noises I referred to earlier.  After swapping the 2 JJs back in, I didn't hear the noise, but I only kept them in for a few hours.  I put the Siemens back in, and didn't hear anything until recently (probably another 50 hours), and it was much more faint noise.  It's still only in the left channel, and it only seems to appear after at least 5-10 hours of playback.

I trust that the issue will be resolved--it's just a bit unnerving.  But it's good to see that Alex is responsive (even on a Saturday).  I'm looking forward to getting this issue fixed, since the amp otherwise provides me with mind-blowing, sublime, immersive music experiences.

Based on your descriptions the issue seems to be tied to your pair of Siemens tubes. Whenever they're in your amp you seem to have issues. When you go back to the quad of JJs the noise goes away.

It could be the Siemens tubes or mixing them with other tubes (as it appears you only have a pair).

 

[Jamiee]

Quote:

Based on your descriptions the issue seems to be tied to your pair of Siemens tubes. Whenever they're in your amp you seem to have issues. When you go back to the quad of JJs the noise goes away.
It could be the Siemens tubes or mixing them with other tubes (as it appears you only have a pair).

 
I agree...
 
Try placing the JJ's back in and leaving them there for a few days (even a week) and see if the problem comes back.
If it doesn't than you can be pretty sure that the problem is with the Siemens tubes.

 

[mwilson]

If it turns out to be related to the Siemens tubes, I'd gladly refund Nelson the money. It still befuddled me that the noise remains in the left channel, regardless of tube positioning.

I'm looking for some good NOS tubes in my forthcoming Liquid Lightning. So what if it's solid state. I'll squeeze in a quad somehow.

 

[MorbidToaster]

I might try rolling back in the JJs too but I am 90% sure I heard it with both.

 

[Jamiee]

Quote:

If it turns out to be related to the Siemens tubes, I'd gladly refund Nelson the money. It still befuddled me that the noise remains in the left channel, regardless of tube positioning.
I'm looking for some good NOS tubes in my forthcoming Liquid Lightning. So what if it's solid state. I'll squeeze in a quad somehow.

It is odd that the problem is staying in the left channel.
I wonder if he has rotated the JJ's as well?
 
From what I gather he is only using a single pair of Siemens along with the JJ's.
So if all he has done is rotated the Siemens, then he still hasn't eliminated the possibility that the JJ in the left channel could be the problem.
 
Most people change out all 4 tubes in the LF at the same time which in a way would also make it easier to diagnose a tube related problem.
 
Hopefully all it is, is a bad tube.

 

[dBel84]

Quote:

I'm looking for some good NOS tubes in my forthcoming Liquid Lightning. So what if it's solid state. I'll squeeze in a quad somehow.

 
"there is no such thing as try, only do" in this case, you had best try REALLY hard ..dB

 

[mwilson]

^ where there's a will....

 

[LjF]

Guys - I had the problem. Switched out the JJ's for a National quad, the problem appeared. Tried various things, then switched back the JJ's and problem went away. After a few weeks it came back - with the JJ's. Emailed Alex, was advised to ground the volume pot. Problem disappeared. Now running a pair of Gold Lions and a pair of JJ's -- problem still gone.
 
If it comes back, I'll let you know - but for now the grounding wire seems to have done the trick. I just used some test leads - will send back to Cavalli for a permanent soldering job, but not till I go away on vacation!

 

[Jamiee]

LjF,
 
If you have a chance, please post a picture of the grounding work you did with the volume pot, I'd be curious to see.
 
So far my LF has been fine but then it only has around 160hrs on it, so who knows?